How The New FCC Views Internet Freedom As Conditional Entitlements

from the entitlement,-not-freedom dept

There isn't much more to say on this subject beyond how David Isenberg compares and contrasts how Kevin Martin's FCC's four new "principles" subtly change and undercut former FCC chair Michael Powell's view of four internet freedoms. All of the freedoms are changed from freedoms to "entitlements to consumers." That might not sound like much, but entitlements can be taken away -- and by classifying the recipients of these entitlements as consumers it reinforces the idea of the internet as a broadcast mechanism where we all consume, rather than participate. Also, whereas Powell's freedoms were absolute, Martin starts adding in the caveats about how law enforcements' rights trumps everyone else's and how network providers have more rights than "consumers." It's not exactly a good start -- and certainly makes it seem like Martin is more focused on politics than what's best for technology and communications.